Posts Tagged ‘Cleveland restaurants’

First, I would like to aknowledge that I have been a slacker and have not posted to this blog in many months. I’m going to try and do better with posts at least once a week or so.

Now, to Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse (www.restaurantwasabi.com) located at 150 Montrose West Ave, Akron, OH 44321. Joe and I wanted some hibachi last night for dinner, but were dissapointed when we discovered how difficult it would be to fulfill our last minute craving. Who knew that hibachi was so popular on Saturday nights and I’m sure the fact that it was Homecoming for half the high schools in Northeast Ohio did not help. Well, we called a few places for reservations and could not get in until after 8pm, but we had to be at our friends house by 9pm. So, we settled for the regular dining room at Wasabi.

Upon entering, you walk over a very zen coi pond with flowing water. The ambiance of the restaurant is very relaxing, calming and comfortable. We were seated immediately, per our 7:15pm reservation in the dining room right in front of the sushi bar. We noticed three private dining rooms off to the left of the room, where you take your shoes off and sit on the floor. Looked like a fun room for a small party or gathering.

The menu offered some nice sushi options, along with teriyaki, noodle, rice and bento entrees. I really wanted some sushi, but my limited options at 4 months pregnant made me think that it was not even worth it if I could not order the good stuff. As a result, I ordered the filet mignon teriyaki. It came with a very fresh salad with ginger dressing, miso soup that was full of yummy tofu and tasty dark green wakame. The filet came sliced in terikayi sauce on a hot plate with a side of white rice. The meat was tender and flavorful. I barely even had to chew it, kind of melted in my mouth…very nice.

Joe ordered three different sushi options, including super white tuna sushi, Philadelphia roll and a lobter roll (the highlight of our dinner). The lobster roll consisted of Lobster Tempura, Avocado, Cucumber & Masago wrapped with Soy Paper. It had a great crunch from the cucumber, combined with the warm lobster tempura and mushiness of the avacado. The flavors and textures were so great in my mouth. Very fresh and beautifully presented.

Joe and I will be back to try the hibachi, but not on a Saturday night. We highly recommend Wasabi for the fresh and delicious sushi. There are some really fun and interesting sushi options. Let me know your thoughts if you have been to Wasabi or if you give it a try in the near future.

Joe and I are always complaining about the lack of healthy, yet, fast options for food near our home. Then, one day we were driving down Ridge Road, actually looking for a Lebanese restaurant we saw advertised in a local coupon mailer, and we came across Sittoo’s. It looked nice from the outside, so we decided to turn around and go back to try it out. That was a great decision!

We discovered that Sittoo’s is owned by the same family who owns Aladdin’s Eatery. This is their faster food, lower cost version of Lebanese food. The location in Parma at 5870 Ridge Road is the first of 10 locations planned for the Greater Cleveland area in the next 5 years. I hear that Sittoo’s means “grandma’s” in Lebanese. So far, I have read nothing but great reveiws for Sittoo’s. Here is a little about our experiences.

Joe and I have ordered carry out from Sittoo’s 3 or 4 times, now. Each time the food has been fresh and flavorful. The restuarant itself is bright and clean, which is always nice to see. The Baba (puree of chargrilled eggplant, tahini, garlic and lemon) is delicious and so cheap at $2.35 for a small, which is enough for two people. I have had their lamb roll, which was cooked perfectly, as the lamb was very tender and juicy. Today I ordered the Business Lunch Special for only $4.95. It inlcudes Shish Kebob, Kafta Kebob, Chicken Shwarma and Falaffel served over rice pilaf, salad and pita bread. Delicious, healthy and filling. Joe ordered the Tawook Entree ($6.25) for the 2nd time in a row, which inlcudes grilled, marinated chicken served with rice pilaf, salad and pita bread.

So, if you are in the Parma area and looking for a healthy lunch or dinner option, try Sittoo’s!

Don Tequila is back and just as good as ever! Thanks to another Don Tequila fan, who let me know via a comment to this post, I found out that DT is open again. Not really sure what happen or why they closed down in the first place. But, honestly, all that matters is that my favorite Mexican restaurant is back to make me happy.

We went to Don Tequila for dinner last week and had the beef fajitas for two. Very good as always. The only difference is that there was broccoli in the mixture of beef and vegetables, which I do not remember being in the dish. Not bad, I personally did not care for broccoli in my fajitas.

Glad to have you back Don Tequila!

ORIGINAL POST

What perfect timing. I create a list of my top five favorite Cleveland restaurants, my first blog post ever, then, one of my top five goes out of business. Ha! I had a night of mourning this past Friday when my husband, Joe, and I tried to go to Don Tequlia. The illuminated sign at the front entrance was not on, but we thought nothing of it, because we saw the vestibule light on. Well, we walk up to the door, pulled and it was locked. There was a little note, from the city of Middleburg Heights, posted on the door. It said something about the locks being changed, becuase they had not paid their rent. How many enchiladas do I need to eat to pay for their rent?

We got back in the car and tried to think of another Mexican restaurant nearby. We ended up going to Don Ramon on Pearl Road in Middleburg Heights. The location is new, I think it just opened a few months ago in August or September. It is quite festive inside, with lots of bright colors…almost to the point of it being a bit overwhelming. The service was good. Joe ordered the fajita combo (chicken, beef, shrimp), which was fresh and tasted good. I got one of their combos with a beef enchilada, cheese chile rellano, beans and rice. Both entrees were good, but they were no Don Tequila. Don Ramon is NOT my new favorite. It was good, but not great or really memorable in any way.

So, we are on the hunt for a new favorite Mexican restaurant. Any suggestions?

Oh my goodness, my first blog post. This is so exciting! So, I thought I would start off small, being new to this blogging thing and all. How about I just tell you about my favorite Cleveland restaurants. To be a bit more specific, this list would include my favorite restaurants as of this moment 5:11 p.m. November 14, 2007. This list is constantly changing in my head based on my mood and most recent food/restaurant experiences. Oh yeah, and this is based on the food only, not the restaurant’s atmosphere.

2. Lolita’s– Congrats to Chef Michael Symon on the Iron Chef victory! Not only is Lolita a beautiful restaurant with a very relaxing and inviting atmosphere, but the food is incredible and at really reasonable prices. You must try the crispy chicken livers. ….. 900 Literary Rd., Tremont

3. Li Wah– The dim sum for lunch here is such a treat! So many options zooming around the dining room on little carts, plus more options to order off the menu. Everything is delicious. Be adventurous and try them all, because if you don’t like one, who cares, it only cost like $2 and then you can say you tried turnip cake. ….. 2999 Payne Ave., Cleveland

4. Don Tequila – It may be just another Mexican restaurant to some, but to me it rocks! My husband and I have been here so many times and the service is always fast and polite and the food is consistently yummy. The fajitas are our favorite out of any we have tasted before. I could each their enchiladas day and night. ….. 18332 Bagley Rd. Cleveland

5. Jimmy Johns –This is a nostalgic one for me and I felt like I should give a little love to the “fast food” option. This place brings me back to my college days and it still tastes just as good. My fav is #12, the Beach Club. There are now couple of locations in the Cleveland area, but I am still waiting for one a bit closer to my home.